The following are issues typical, though not all inclusive, of the type that may be of consideration to a new faculty member:
- Which subfields are expanding or contracting in my field?
|
- How do people in the field find out about, get nominated for and win grants, awards, and prizes?
|
- What are the leading journals in the field? Have any colleagues published there? How should co-authorship be handled? Who can bring a submission to the attention of the editors?
|
- What organizations are the most important to join, what conferences are the ones to attend? How does one get on the program?
|
- What is the best way of getting feedback on a paper?
|
- How are student assistantships assigned? How do I apply for a research/teaching assistant?
|
- What aspects of a contract are negotiable?
|
- What are the appropriate and accepted ways to raise different kinds of concerns, issues and problems (e.g., verbally or by memo) and with whom?
|
- What are the department’s formal and informal criteria for promotion and tenure? Who can clarify these criteria? How does one build a tenure-file? Who sits on the relevant committees? Who can effectively support a nomination?
|
- What departmental and institutional decisions are pending that might affect positions in the department? Who can influence these decisions?
|
- How does one establish an appropriate balance between teaching, research, and committee work? How does one say “no”? When is it okay to say “no”?
|
- What funds are available from the department / University? Start-up funds, graduate scholarships, travel / conference, small equipment funds, etc.
|
- How is the department organized? How are decisions made? What infrastructure is available to the new faculty member?
|
- What should the professional profile be after 3 years?
|
- What criteria are used for teaching excellence, how is teaching evaluated, and what is a teaching dossier?
|
- What are the grading guidelines for courses?
|
- How does one obtain feedback concerning teaching?
|
- What resources are available for teaching enhancement?
|
- How does one become a member of the graduate faculty?
|
- What should graduate students expect from their major professor?
|
- What should be included in the annual activity report?
|
- Will there be feedback about performance from the Chair? If so, how often?
|
- What are the policies concerning maternity, family or personal leaves? How genuinely supportive is the department regarding work-life balance issues?
|
- Which professors or administrators have contacts at places with appropriate openings for spouses/partners?
|
URI Homepage
